The present invention is directed to the supply in power of flash-tubes in stroboscopic beacons, from a capacitive source, and relates more particularly to a system for feeding those flash-tubes with the energy extracted from the overhead wire of high AC power lines.
Hitherto, the stroboscopic beacons used for indicating the presence of towers supporting the bundles of conductors of high voltage transmission lines were supplied either by means of a secondary supply line from a substation, or by means of engine-driven generators. However, either one of those feeding methods present severe economic and technical disadvantages in terms of installation cost and maintenance in addition of being of a low reliability as a source of constant supply.
A prime object of the present invention resides in using the energy induced in an overhead wire through its capacitive coupling with the conductors of a high AC voltage transmission line. The overhead wire is that conductor hung at the peak of the towers and which serves mainly to protect the bundles of conductors against lightnings. That overhead wire is not therefore usually utilized for conveying energy but whenever a given section thereof is insulated energy is being inducted therein through capacitive coupling by the underlying conductors. The overhead wire may then constitute a source of capacitive energy. By recovering that energy induced in the overhead wire, the above-mentioned inconveniences inherent to the conventional supply sources are effectively avoided and its use additionally provides an economical and reliable supply source immediately usable at the desired area, the latter advantage being particularly sound in view of the remoteness of the transmission lines from the local distribution substations.